Contains spoilers for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

In “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” the mighty Galactus (voiced by Ralph Ineson), known for consuming entire planets, makes a deal to spare Earth-828 from obliteration. His condition? Reed Richards (played by Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (portrayed by Vanessa Kirby) must surrender their newborn son, Franklin, to him. The pressing question is, why does Galactus desire Reed and Sue’s baby? We’ve explored this query at Looper, and you can find our detailed video explanation by watching above.

As the first official movie that introduces Marvel’s First Family within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has received a far more positive reception than its predecessors. Currently, the film boasts a commendable 88% score from critics and an impressive 92% approval rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, with expectations set for a strong debut, aiming for a $125 million box office opening weekend.

A significant draw for the movie is its focus on the Fantastic Four as a cohesive family unit, while also depicting Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman navigating the challenges of new parenthood. Galactus reveals that Franklin Richards, born to two cosmically gifted individuals, harbors extraordinary powers that could potentially allow Galactus to cease his endless search for planets to consume. Franklin might even assume Galactus’s role. Although the film highlights Franklin’s unique abilities, the comprehensive explanation lies within the comic books.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, the child of Reed and Sue Richards is born with superpowers, which makes him a mutant. And he develops such awesome abilities that he’s labeled an Omega-Level mutant. Indeed, in several comic book storylines, Franklin actually does become Galactus, inheriting the mantle of the Devourer of Worlds. The only inkling we get of Franklin’s abilities in “First Steps” is toward the end of the film, when he brings his mother back to life after she is killed in the climactic battle with the gigantic cosmic entity.

The comics version of Franklin has powers so great that he can use them to reshape reality itself. Most notably, he’s involved in fixing the multiverse at the end of the 2015 event series “Secret Wars,” which is the inspiration for the upcoming “Avengers” movie of the same name. Since the mid-credits scene in “First Steps” finds a now four-year-old Franklin (Ada Scott) visited by a mysterious figure in a green cape and cowl — clearly meant to be Doctor Doom, the key villain of “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars” — we can only speculate on what possible role Franklin might play in Doom’s own plans to meddle with the multiverse. 

Meanwhile, if you want to hear more about Franklin Richards and why Galactus wants him so badly, check out our video above, which goes into much further detail regarding Franklin’s powers and his comic book storylines.